The Books of Blutora

24 : Traveler's Guide to Blutora - I

If you're anything like me, you enjoy traveling. Nothing quite matches the level of excitement delivered from experiencing the sights and sounds of new regions, cities, cultures, and everything in between. I've taken the time to make this guide for those with an insatiable desire to explore the world, to see the unseen and know the unknown. If you find you are one of those individuals, I hope you find this guide helpful! If you are unsure about traveling, but have stumbled across this guide however, I encourage you, read on! You never know what you might discover about the world, and about yourself.

First to start with, we're going to take a look at the climates of the vast Continent that is Blutora. Far to the north you'll find that it snows indefinitely, it's a cold and dry place that most will find uncomfortable to say the least. Scattered across the snowy landscape are various forests, pine mostly with the occasional variation. What you can't miss are the scattered mountains breaching through the snowy tundra creating breathtaking views. This perpetual snow and cold stretches the entirety of the province of Kyn Alora on the northern end of the continent, as well as the northern third of the province of Izheka.

In the northwestern regions of the continent, you'll find much the same as the true north albeit without the never ending snowfall. While the region does indeed see snow cover from time to time, the area spends most of the time uncovered and at a chilling, but not freezing temperature. Here you'll find a very high concentration of pine forests and the like, as well as the scattered plains and hilly regions. Mountains in the northwest are most often clustered together into full scale ranges as opposed to lone peaks scattered about. Some examples of these mountain ranges include the Faliverhi Mountains (F-al-ih-very) in the province of Melaverhi, and the Vezityl Mountains (Vez-ih-teal) located in western Struetan overlooking the Melatan River that borders the two aforementioned provinces. This region is made up of the entirety of the province of Melaverhi, and the northern half of the province of Struetan.

In the middle regions of the continent from coast to coast stretches a vast region of plains, hills, mountains, and temperate forests home to many species of both plants and animals alike. This portion of Blutora is the most habitable on average. Of course this depends on who you are and where you come from, but there is no better mild temperatures and weather than what you'll find across these lands. This stretch of favorable land is also the longest uninterrupted stretch of one of these climate zones throughout the whole of Blutora. You'll find it covers the north half of Mel Alari, the northern two thirds of Yustreia, the southern half of Struetan, the southern two thirds of Izheka, and the entirety of Elabet.

In the Western regions of Blutora you'll find the Sko Jungle. It is both an entire climate region and a single continuous jungle in one. Making up the entirety of the province of Skoecia, as well as the southern half of Mel Alari, and southern third of Yustreia, this is often the least traveled region of the continent. That is, however, not due to a lack of a population calling it home, rather the people who live there, the Wurika (were-ick-ah), are a fairly secretive, reclusive and unsettling group of people to many on the outside. Combine that with the dense, humid jungle and you've got quite the combination that steers many elsewhere. For those who do fancy a trip to the Sko jungle, you can expect some of the most incredible views these lands have to offer. Between the lush jungle overgrowth, to the crystal blue Amelian River, and the chiseled mountain peaks that loom over the canopies, you truly cannot go wrong in this region.

In the southern parts of Blutora, you'll find a vast region of arid plains, forests, and savannas alike both in the northern half of Moorufell, and near entirety of the province of Mariteia. This region is separated entirely by deserts and badlands, however in either of these stretches of arid yet livable climate, you'll find a great number of people call it home. On the coldest of days you can venture out with no issue whatsoever, and on the warmest of days you'll find that it's never quite unbearable, as it would be in the deserts. The climate here may be fairly dry, but it is by no means a very hot region. It strikes a good balance between the paradise climates of the middle regions, and the unbearable deserts of southern Blutora. It's home to-at least in part; five different rivers, and upwards of fifteen different mountain ranges. This makes for some of the most beautiful valleys you can find across the lands, and for that alone I recommend a trip to either province to witness for yourself what it has to offer.

Finally, as per climates and features, we are left with the Withering Sea. A region of deserts and badlands that stretch across the southern half of Moorufell, and the entirety of Odelia, the Withering Sea is considered the most inhospitable region on the whole of Blutora. That being said however, many people call this region home across both provinces it finds itself in. In many instances, this is due to the three rivers that make this region bearable; the Ceseon (Ses-E-on), Schium (She-oo-m), and Odelia (Oh-dell-E-yuh). This area is home to a great many mountains as well, most notably the dense cluster of ranges along the border of Odelia and Elabet, on the Odelia side relentlessly occupying the badlands region. In the Withering Sea, you'll find the best time to be out is in the mornings and evenings, the crossover from sun to moon, as both are extremes in their own right. At midday the sun beams ruthlessly on the land, and at midnight the surprisingly low temperatures can seep in quicker than you might expect. If you choose to visit this region, be sure to come prepared, and ask for tips from the locals.

Some honorable mentions to the Oceans and Islands of Blutora as well. As you may well know, there are two different Oceans we can find off of our coasts. The first of  which being the Creule (Cray-yool) in the north home to some colder waters, although not frozen. This comes with the exception of the Vildryr (Vill-dree-yer), a mysteriously large field of ice, icebergs, and storms just off the north-northeastern coast. The Yulean (You-lee-an) Ocean in the south is home to warmer waters, as well as reefs and some beautifully clear water especially off of the coast of Mariteia in the south. As per islands, they tend to follow the same climate patterns as the closest portions of the mainland. If it's the Apeliton (Uh-pell-ih-ton) Islands off of the coast of Mel Alari, then you'll find the mild region feel. If it's Melira (Mel-ear-uh) and Arilem (Air-ih-lem) off the coast of Mariteia, you'll find the arid climates. This pattern repeats itself wherever you go and whichever islands you choose.

There's much more to exploration and traveling, especially when it comes to the vastly diverse lands of Blutora. In the next part you can read a little bit about the people, the cities, and the cultures across the lands. If you find this knowledge on climates and features helpful or interesting, I encourage you to seek out part two, and delve into an even deeper understanding of what these lands have to offer.